A Trip to the Twin Cities
by Kristen3
Summary: Seeking a job as a TV writer, Rob visits WJM-TV in hopes of writing for "Chuckles the Clown." While there, he runs into a woman who looks strangely familiar.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** After hearing about Garry Marshall's passing, I learned that, early in his career, he was a writer for _The Dick Van Dyke Show_. That led me to start thinking about the show, and an idea for a crossover that I've wanted to do FOREVER. I finally bit the bullet as it were, and began writing. As usual this turned out longer than I meant, and it's obviously not finished! Please review!

Rob couldn't believe he was doing this as he stepped onto the elevator. But, when his former boss called and "suggested" this job to him, he'd had no choice but to say yes. He and Laura had traveled halfway across the country, just so Rob could possibly get another job as a television writer.

Feeling shy, he got on and tried to walk to the back corner of the elevator. But then he realized he wasn't alone. A young woman smiled at him, and his heart immediately stopped. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, although she certainly was. This woman, whoever she was, looked exactly like Laura. "Uh, hi," Rob said.

"Hello," Mary replied. "You seem awfully nervous. Are you here for a job interview?" She could still remember how nervous she'd been the first time she walked into this building. But it had turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to her.

"Yes," Rob blurted out suddenly. "I'm here to talk to the station manager about writing for the _Chuckles the Clown Show_. My old boss heard that there was an opening, so he told me to fly all the way out here and try for the job."

"Oh, well, I'm sure you'll be fine," Mary said, smiling once again.

Rob found that he couldn't take his eyes off this woman. The resemblance really was remarkable. How was this possible?

Mary felt uncomfortable, the longer this man looked it her. She was used to men glancing at her, but this was somehow different. And it was made all the more awkward because she couldn't walk away. She glanced over, noting that there were still several floors before she would reach the newsroom.

"You're probably wondering why I keep looking at you," Rob said. "It's just that you look so much like my wife. It's uncanny!"

 _Well, that's a line I haven't heard before_ , Mary thought. "Really?" she asked, wanting to be polite.

"Yes," Rob said, fumbling as he reached for his wallet. "I have a picture here." He found a photo of himself, Laura and Richie, holding it so that Mary could see.

Seeing the picture, Mary couldn't deny the resemblance. "Wow. She does look an awful lot like me."

"Laura's never going to believe this when I tell her. I've told her some crazy things before, but not anything like this!" He laughed.

"I wouldn't blame her," Mary said.

Rob still couldn't believe he was talking to a woman who could've been Laura's sister, if he didn't know she was an only child. "By the way, what's your name?" he asked, offering her hand.

"Mary Richards. I'm the associate producer of the _6:00 News_." Mary shook his hand, feeling an odd connection to him already.

"Wow," Rob said. "That's impressive!" Suddenly he remembered what he was here for. To interview for a job.

Mary noticed the sudden change in his body language. "I know starting a new job can be nerve-wracking. I felt the same way the first time I walked into the newsroom. But now, my co-workers are practically my family!"

Rob nodded. "That's how I used to feel about Buddy and Sally, my two co-writers from _The Alan Brady Show_."

"Alan Brady? Wasn't he the bald man who had that variety show a few years ago? I used to watch that! I loved all those sketches about husbands and wives. They seemed so real, although I wouldn't really know. I've never been married."

"Well, I have, and a lot of those sketches were based on stuff that happened at home – much to my wife's annoyance! By the way, my name's Robert Petrie. But everyone calls me Rob." He found himself tripping over his words, still in shock over the amazing resemblance to Laura.

Mary smiled, once again noting how well they were hitting it off. The elevator bell dinged, and Mary realized it was her floor. Though she knew she had to get back to work, she almost didn't want to say goodbye to Rob. "I know this might sound crazy, but do you and your wife have plans for tonight? Because, if not, you could have dinner at my place. I mean, since you two are new in town, and I wouldn't mind having some company for a change."

Rob was surprised at the offer. They'd only just met, and here this woman was, asking him to dinner. But still, he couldn't deny she was easy to talk to. She'd nearly made him forget about the job he hoped to get. "Well, sure. Laura and I were planning to have a quiet dinner at our hotel, but your offer sounds a lot nicer!"

"Good!" Mary reached into her purse, searching for a paper and pen. "I live at 119 North Weatherly," she said, scribbling it out for him. "And here's my number, in case you and your wife change your minds."

Rob gratefully accepted the paper from her. Now he knew, even if this job didn't work out, at least one thing had come out of this trip. He'd met the second most beautiful woman in the world, and he couldn't wait to see Laura's reaction when she saw Mary in person!


	2. Chapter 2

"Let me get this straight," Laura said, as they walked up the stairs of what was apparently an old Victorian house that had been converted into apartments. "You met this woman in an elevator, and she invited us for dinner?"

"Yes," Rob said, beginning to get exasperated with her. "You'll love her. She's very nice. And I'm telling you, she looks _just_ like you!"

"I know you tend to go a little crazy when you're around a beautiful woman, but this is just ridiculous. What if this woman was trying to pick you up?"

"I told her right away I was married! This is better than going to some restaurant, or eating at the hotel."

Laura gave her husband a "look." She wanted to talk him out of it, but there was no use. Besides, they were here now. Rob rang the bell as they stood in front of apartment D.

The doorbell rang. Mary felt a sudden rush of nervousness, wondering why on earth she'd thought this was a good idea. She hardly knew these people. Rob had seemed nice enough, but he was married. It wasn't as if this could really lead to anything.

Rhoda saw the look on her best friend's face. It reminded her of a deer caught in headlights. Luckily, she was more than capable of opening the door. When she did, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Wow. Mare said she met a handsome guy at work, and that he had a wife who looked just like her, but I thought she was joking!"

Rob and Laura hardly knew what to say. This woman who'd answered the door was a total stranger, but it was clear she wasn't shy in the least. "Well, at least we found the right place," Rob said, hoping to ease the awkwardness.

"Sorry, I'm Rhoda Morgenstern. I'm Mary's neighbor. I live upstairs," she explained.

Somehow, Mary came to her senses. She couldn't leave Rhoda to entertain Rob and Laura. Sure, they were strangers, but that didn't mean she couldn't be friendly. "And, obviously, I'm Mary." She came over to them, seeing the resemblance even more strongly now.

Rob hardly knew what to say, with these two women standing in front of him. "This is Laura," he said, gesturing to his wife. "But I guess you both knew that, huh?"

Laura smiled. "Hello." There was a moment of awkward silence. "I'm sorry," Laura said. "I just don't know what to say. I feel like I'm looking in a mirror. Sort of."

"Well, why don't you both come in?" Mary said. "Rob told me you looked like me, and I saw it in the picture he showed me, but….wow."

"Yeah, 'wow' is right," Rhoda said. "I always said there was no way nature could've made anyone else with a figure like Mare's, but I guess I was wrong. I suddenly feel like the least attractive person in the room. I mean, I feel that way most of the time, but with the two of you here, I really feel it!"

"Oh, Rhoda!" Mary exclaimed. She turned to Rob and Laura. "She's always going on about how I'm so much better-looking than she is. I keep telling her there's nothing wrong with her, but she won't hear it!"

Laura laughed. "My friend Millie says the same thing all the time. For what it's worth, Rhoda, Mary is right. You shouldn't put yourself down that way."

Rhoda rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to talk about her. She was self-conscious enough as it was.

"Well, I guess we should eat now," Mary suddenly said, remembering why she had invited Rob and Laura here in the first place. She began walking toward her dining table, and the other three followed.

"Your apartment is lovely!" Laura said, taking it all in for the first time. "Rob, it reminds me of our living room back home."

"Where exactly is home?" Mary asked. It was strange to think how little she knew about this couple, and yet she almost sensed they were friends already.

"New Rochelle, New York," Laura answered.

"I'm from New York, too," Rhoda said. "But not the suburbs. More like the Bronx."

"I commuted into the city five days a week when I worked for Alan Brady," Rob said.

"Oh, that sounds nice," Mary said, thinking of her own growing-up years in Roseburg.

"Yes, we love it. Our son, Richie, gets to grow up around trees and do all those little-boy things he couldn't do if we were in the city," Laura said.

For a moment, Mary was almost jealous of Laura. Marriage, a child, and a home in the suburbs was what she'd always dreamed of. Sure, she loved her job, but Laura's life obviously had a kind of permanence about it that Mary envied.

Laura could see Mary's longing. "I didn't mean to upset you. Rob told me you're a producer of a news show. That's so exciting!"

Mary blushed. "I'm not sure how exciting it is, actually. We're the lowest-rated station in the city. And our anchorman is…...not bright."

"But still, you have a _career_. I can't imagine doing something like that, especially without a husband."

Once again, Mary felt embarrassed. She shrugged. "It all sort of fell in my lap. I moved here four years ago, after I left my fiancee. There was an ad in the paper about a job opening at WJM. I went and interviewed, and now, here I am."

"Wow," was all Laura could think to say. She almost wished she'd had the courage to do something similar, before she married Rob. But it took only a moment to realize she could never have done it. She'd have missed out on the wonderful life she and Rob had, not to mention Richie. She looked over at Rob, feeling as if her heart might burst with the love she felt for him. It was all she could do not to kiss him.

Rhoda noted that Rob was looking at Laura with the same amount of love and affection. Would she ever find a man who'd look at her like that? Well, if her current dating life was any indication, she certainly wouldn't be holding her breath! But then she glanced over at Mary, and saw she wasn't the only one who was jealous of the couple sitting across the table. But Mary caught her eye, and Rhoda could see something else in Mary's expression. It was hope. _Of course, Mary believes that anyone can end up like these two_ , she thought.

Laura felt the two sets of eyes on them. "I know, when we get like this, it's a little hard to watch," she said with a laugh. "But Rob's co-writer, Sally Rogers, used to think she'd _never_ settle down and get married. Just last year she met a wonderful man, and now they're happily married."

Rob nodded. "And as my friend, Buddy, pointed out, if she could find a man, then there's hope for anybody!"

Laura desperately hoped she and Rob had helped make Mary and Rhoda feel better. A love like hers and Rob's didn't come along very often, but when it did, it sure made it all seem worthwhile.

 **The End**


End file.
